Temperatures are rising quickly in the south of Spain as spring has finally arrived, but today started off cloudy. A good moment to visit the Torrox lagoon! April was a month I had never been to this wonderful location. It turned out to be a good choice...
 |
| Goldfinch |
I had never heard so many Reed Warblers, sing in the, well, in the reed. They were also unexpectedly easy to see and even photograph.
 |
| Reed Warbler |
 |
| Reed warbler |
Clearly visible from the walking path were several nests, very likely belonging to Reed Warblers.
During previous recent visits I had made attempts to photograph the nuptial display of the Great Crested Grebes that live on these lakes, but I had never been successful. Today, however, I took much better photos, unexpectedly. I spotted a pair of Grebes through the reed and was able to get quite close to them.
I am not sure whether they had noticed my presence or not, but if they had, they didn't seem to care. After a while, one of the birds went for a deep dive and then I lost track of it. The other bird however came even closer and allowed me to take the closest photos of a Great Crested Grebe ever. Pure elegance!
 |
| Great Crested Grebe with a Barn Swallow in the background |
During the time I spent walking around the lagoons, I was constantly accompanied by birds, cheerfully singing their lungs out, mostly Greenfinches, Goldfinches and Blackbirds. The White Wagtails seems to have left again back to the North.
 |
Common Chiffchaff
|
 |
| Blackbird spying on me … |
 |
| ... before revealing its friendly nature. |
 |
| April must be the most colourful month for this place |
It was also the first time I spotted Bee-eaters here, I counted 27 of them, as they were returning from Africa, flying high in different groups.
The birds of prey I saw were Black Kite, Kestrel, Griffon Vulture, to name only a few...
 |
| Kestrel |
 |
| European Serin enjoying a bath |
 |
| The same bird as above ... |
 |
| A pair of Linnets |
 |
| Male Linnet enjoying a bath |
 |
| Another first timer, a Little Ringed Plover |
 |
| Red-crested Pochard |
 |
| Overflying Mallard |
 |
| Love is in the air! (Collared Doves) |
And last but not least, I spotted another species I had never seen before, and apparently a real rarity here: a White-Cheeked Pintail, such a beauty!
 |
| White-Cheeked Pintail |
I wouldn't have minded going round the lagoon a second time in one day, but after spotting 48 species it was time to head back to our facilities and start processing the photos.
Henry.
